RFP NSU-2401 - Responses.pdf

RFP #NSU-2401 – Response to questions submitted on or before May 3, 2024

Q. Will NSU allows for vendors provide a response to part of the scope (i.e., Recruitment Campaign)?

Yes, NSU will accept responses that are limited to just part of the scope. Per section 1.1 of the RFP, NSU may enter into separate contracts for each of the components.

Q. Has NSU identified a budget for this initiative, and if so, is it possible to share?

The budget is approximately $300,000 per year.

Q. Can NSU please provide the decision timeline for this RFP?

A. Evaluation of proposals will begin on May 23 and be completed by May 30. If necessary, oral presentations will be held remotely approximately June 5-6. We anticipate a decision will be made between June 7-10.

Q. Are you willing to accept an electronic submission in lieu of the hard copies? If not, will NSU accept responses on a USB shipped to your location (no hard copy provided)? If not, how many copies does NSU require?

A. Answer: We are requesting one original with a wet signature. The emailed copy does not require a wet signature.

Q. When would the resulting contract begin?

A. Within three weeks of obtaining a signed contract.

Q. What volume of students do you purchase in a given year as Sophomores, as Juniors, and as Seniors? Is there a desire for change?

A. Answer: We purchase approximately 30,000 names per year. The numbers change each year, but the largest percentage of those names are juniors, followed by seniors, then sophomores.

Q. What is your current inquiry pool volume for entering class 2024?

A. Answer: The current inquiry volume for the 2024 class is about 20,000.

Q. Can vendors provide electronic signatures?

A. We are requesting one original with a wet signature. The emailed copy does not require a wet signature.

Q. Does this RFP have any overall budget guidelines or annual budget recommendations we can plan around?

A. Answer: The annual budget is approximately $300,000. The admissions campaign will be conducted annually, and the brand awareness campaign will be biannual. This may be adjusted based on strategic priorities identified as a result of implementing an effective marketing plan.

Q. Has there been past budget breakdown suggestions regarding production costs vs media spend?

A. This will be determined in partnership with the selected agency(ies) in developing a successful marketing plan.

Q. Can NSU share data that shows the leading geographic areas where their students typically originate from?

A. Our market research study identifies our target locations, with approximately 70% of our prospective students coming from smaller communities within South Dakota. Additionally, we are actively targeting students from major cities and surrounding areas in North Dakota, Minnesota, and Nebraska, such as Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Bismarck/Mandan, Jamestown, Valley City, and Pierre.

Q. Can you share more details related to the CRM system and how involved the marketing partner will be in working directly in that system/software?

Our institution uses Slate CRM, which was implemented in 2019. The primary functions of the CRM are centered around recruiting and application management. The responsibility for managing and utilizing the CRM falls mainly on the admissions department, with the marketing and communications team providing support and assistance as needed.

Q. Does the 2022 market analysis indicate top reasons why students choose NSU over universities? Can you share some of those top reasons?

A. We can share the 2022 market analysis.

Q. Are there new specific geographic areas that are needed to be targeted off past research or enrollment trends?

A. Our market research study identifies our target locations, with approximately 70% of our prospective students coming from smaller communities within South Dakota. Additionally, we are actively targeting students from major cities and surrounding areas in North Dakota, Minnesota, and Nebraska, such as Sioux Falls, Rapid City, Bismarck/Mandan, Jamestown, Valley City, and Pierre.

Q. Are you currently in any media contracts that would overlap with the start of this RFP and if so, is that part of this budget or outside of this RFP?

A. We currently have several agreements in place for billboards. Our recent marketing efforts have primarily focused on digital advertising, print publications, and a few select initiatives.

Q. As we move forward with this new campaign, we will need to assess the effectiveness of these existing contracts and determine whether they align with our updated marketing objectives. If necessary, we may need to renegotiate or terminate some of these contracts to ensure that our marketing spend is allocated to the most impactful channels and tactics.

A. Our goal is to develop a cohesive and data-driven marketing strategy that maximizes our return on investment and effectively reaches our target audiences. By carefully evaluating our existing commitments and making informed decisions about our future marketing mix, we can create a more streamlined and efficient approach to promoting Northern State University and achieving our enrollment goals.

Q. Do you have any media that should be excluded from these campaigns that hasn't been effective in the past?

A. Based on our past experience, we have found that billboard advertising may not be the most cost-effective or impactful medium for our higher education marketing campaigns. As we move forward with developing our new marketing strategy, we are open to exploring a wide range of media options that have proven to be effective in the higher education sector and welcome recommendations from our chosen agency partner on the most suitable media mix to achieve our goals.

Q. What is the budget or budget range allocated for this RFP? Having a sense of the financial parameters will help in scoping the proposal appropriately.

The annual budget is approximately $300,000. The admissions campaign will be conducted annually, and the brand awareness campaign will be biannual.

This may be adjusted based on strategic priorities identified as a result of implementing an effective marketing plan.

Q. Regarding the CRM improvement and email marketing workflow component, can you share more about the current state of the university's CRM and where the key challenges lie?

A. Our institution uses Slate CRM, which was implemented in 2019. The primary functions of the CRM are centered around recruiting and application management. However, we recognize that we have not yet fully utilized the potential of this powerful tool at Northern State University and are still in the process of determining how to optimize its use.

Currently, we employ Slate CRM for processing applications and inputting all potential leads. Additionally, we leverage the system to send out emails and text messages to prospective students as part of our communication strategy.

The responsibility for managing and utilizing the CRM falls mainly on the admissions department, with the marketing and communications team providing support and assistance as needed.

Q. The RFP mentions a market analysis conducted in 2022 that will be used as a benchmark. Will this study be provided to the offeror that is awarded the business?

A. The market analysis is attached.

Q. What are the university's top 3 programs or areas of differentiation that should be focused on in the marketing and brand awareness efforts?

A. For the first year, our primary focus is on establishing a strong foundation for general admissions marketing. We aim to streamline the process and develop materials that effectively communicate our message across all mediums. This approach will allow us to continue the process annually, making necessary modifications based on insights and performance.

While we have identified some new programs that may require targeted marketing efforts, such as Nursing, Elementary Education, and Business, we are seeking guidance from the selected vendor on how to best prioritize our messaging. These programs represent key areas of differentiation for Northern State University, and we believe they have the potential to attract a significant number of prospective students.

Q. Can you please provide clarification on the submission requirements? It is unclear whether we are required to email the response or print it (or both). If emailed, does it still need a "wet" signature and be scanned in?

B. We are requesting an original with a wet signature. The emailed copy does not require a wet signature.

Q. It appears that NSU uses Technolutions Slate. How long has the database been in use?

A. Northern State University adopted Slate as our CRM solution in 2019-2020.

Q. Outside of the 2022 market analysis, has the institution participated in any recent brand research? Will that be made available to all respondents or only the awardee?

The 2022 Market Analysis is available to respondents.

Q. Is NSU currently working with any incumbent firms in any of the four areas listed in the RFP?

A. We are not currently collaborating with any other agencies or firms.

Q. Has a budget (or budgets) been identified for this work?

The budget is approximately $300,000 per year.

Q. Who are the key decision makers for this RFP?

The decision makers include a cross section of campus personnel representing academic, admissions, athletics, finance, communications, and the NSU Foundation.

Q. In regard to the market research portion of the scope, what audiences were surveyed in 2022, and does the university have lists for those audiences?

A. The specific audiences surveyed in our 2022 market research, along with the availability of corresponding lists, can be found in the market research document provided.

Q. Northern State University's Top 5 Value Propositions:

A.

a. Transformative college experience in a safe and engaging environment

b. Experiential learning in the classroom and through dynamic internship opportunities.

c. Safe, friendly, and welcoming campus community

d. Personalized experience with outstanding and innovative professors

e. New and renovated campus facilities are world-class and inspire you to create.

Q. Total student population for the 2023/24 school year:

2023 Fall Head count – 3,521

Q. Percentages of traditional, non-traditional, transfer, military, online, and other students:

We do not have a breakdown of the total population in these categories.

Q. Desired growth in each audience:

A. 5%-8% growth each year

Q. Target communities and regions:

A. "Wolves Country" within a 100-mile radius of Northern State University, including Aberdeen, Mobridge, Pierre, Watertown, Jamestown, Valley City, and smaller communities with similar demographics Other markets: Bismarck/Mandan, Rapid City, and Sioux Falls North Dakota, particularly along the Interstate 94 corridor from Bismarck/Mandan to Valley City and south to Aberdeen, SD Numerous smaller towns between Aberdeen and Watertown, as well as Aberdeen and Pierre Sioux Falls and Rapid City

Q. Market analysis conducted in 2022:

A. See attachment

Q. Annual budget for the recruitment campaign:

The annual budget of approximately $300,000 will be allocated to maximize strategies of a comprehensive marketing plan developed in partnership with selected firm(s).

Q. Annual budget for the brand awareness campaign:

The annual budget of approximately $300,000 will be allocated to maximize strategies of a comprehensive marketing plan developed in partnership with selected firm(s).

Q. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for measuring campaign success:

A. Conversion rates: The percentage of visitors who take a desired action, such as filling out a form or making a purchase.

Click-through rates (CTR): The ratio of users who click on a specific link or call-to-action to the total number of users who view the advertisement or email Return on Investment (ROI): The measure of the profitability of the marketing efforts, calculated by dividing the net profit by the total cost of the campaign Open to recommendations for additional relevant KPIs to gauge the success of the campaign and make data-driven decisions to optimize its effectiveness

Q. The RFP references bi-weekly meetings either in person or via video call. Is there a preference on how much of each type of meeting needs to take place?

A. We have no preference between in-person and video call meetings, as both are equally effective. The most affordable option is preferred. However, we would like to have at least one on-campus meeting per year.

Q. Are there existing brand graphic standards you wish to continue using? How about existing taglines and creative themes/platforms (messaging, themes, etc.)?

A. Brand standards were implemented in 2020, and we are continuing to use them, although they could be changed if needed for the campaign. A new logo was introduced in 2020.We are open to new ideas.

https://apps.northern.edu/flippingbook/BrandGuide2023/

Q. How much should new creative executions be built on existing brand messaging and approach, or should the campaign creative approach be largely from scratch?

A. We have limited creative assets, as everything has been done in-house.

Currently, if we wanted to buy a TV or radio spot, we do not have anything available. We need to start from scratch and develop creative that will make us stand out.

Q. Is there an incumbent on this project, and are they bidding as well? How long has the incumbent worked on this account?

A. There is not an incumbent.

Q. Has a budget been established for this project, and can that information be shared with bidding agencies?

A.

Q. Is there a weighted scale for judging criteria (i.e., one category is more important than another)? If so, how are each criteria weighted?

A. See Attached

Q. Do they have a preferred cms on the website? Is the website a Microsoft based server or Linux server?

A. Our public facing website is built on Drupal CMS.

Q. Do they have a crm in place already and what is it? What crm are you looking to use in the future?

A. Our CRM is Slate, it was implemented in 2019/2020.

Q. Will a non-compete contract be necessary?

A. The non-compete will not be required.